Improvement in paper-folding machines



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G. LAUDER. lPayer-Folding Machine.

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G. LAUDER. Paper-Folding Machine.

`No. 208,831'. Patented Oct. 8, 1878.

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G, LAUDER. Paper-Folding Machine. No. 208,831. Patented Oct. 8,1878.

N* PETERS, PHOT-UTHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D Q

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

GEORGE LAUDER, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN PAPER-FOLDING MACHINES.

Specilication forming part of Letters Patent No. 208,831, dated (')ctohcr 8, 197g; application filed August 6, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE LAUDER, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Paper-Folding Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure lis a side elevation of devices enlbodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view of the delivery end of the machine. Fig. 3 is a top view. Fig. 4 is a vertical section, showing the folding-blade and griper retracted or at rest. Fig. 5 is a detail view, showing the preferred construction of belts and cross-bars for controlling the leading end of the sheet. Fig. 6 is a diagram, showing the sheet clamped by the griper-bar and bagged before the rollers, with the folding-blade partially advanced. Fig. 7 is a diagram, showing the bar and blade retreating and the folded sheet in the bite of the rollers.

My invention relates to devices for folding paper, &c., and to the method of operating the same.

Heretofore in the construction of paper and like folding-machines, so far as I am aware, the sheet to be folded has been permitted to travel continuously past the folding mechanism until the center or the point or line of creasing or folding was opposite the bite or gripe of the folding mechanism, thereby delaying the action of the knife or folding-blade, and causing a direct strain to be put on the paper by the necessarily quick stroke of the folding-knife. The class of machines in which this defect is most vmarked may be broadly stated to be those wherein rolls or tapes and a reciprocating folding-blade are employed.

To overcome said objections and obtain a folder which could be employed to fold a continuous web continuously fed, as, for instance, from a rotary press, the rotary folder was devised--that is to say, a folder wherein two rolls, one provided with a tongue and the other with a griper, were employed, the paper being creased by the blade of one roll and pushed into the griper of the other roll along the desired line of fold, the rotation of the latter roll carrying the sheet out of the line of feed, thus permitting a continuous feed, or the folding of sheets severed from a web.

This last method, while theoretically correct, and apparently capable of permitting the maximumspeedtobeattainedinfolding,has serious defects when practically applied-namely, the condition of the web as it comes from the press is such that it is easily torn or distorted if too great strain is put thereon, and the rotary folder, as it is now termed, cannot be run at the maximum speed without liability of rupturing the sheets along the line of fold. ln connection with said objection are other material ones, such as. the complex nature of the machine, the difliculty of keeping it in good running order, and the first cost of construction.

l will now proceed to specifically describe devices illustrating my invention, so that others skilled in the art to which it appertains may apply it.

In the drawing, A represents a suitable frame adapted to support the operative parts of a machine. In said frame are journaled two rollers, a a', one of which is provided with a knife or equivalent device, b, to perforate the paper, the opposite roll being recessed or otherwise constructed to coact therewith. On the shaft of one of said rollers a. a' are cams m n, for purposes hereinafter set forth, and a pulley, o, or equivalent means, for transmitting power to the folding-roll. Said rollers may constitute feed-rolls, as well as the cutting mechanism, as in the present instance; but, if preferred, independent feedrolls (not shown) may be added. J ournaled in the frame A in line with the feed of rollers c c are a pair of ordinary folding-rolls, c c', provided, if desired, with tapes, or fitted with bands d, as shown, to increase their gripe upon the sheet to be folded, one of said rolls being driven, preferably, from the feed-roll or cutter-roll, as the case may be, and by means of pulley p, or other suitable mechanism, which will permit of said rolls being driven at greater surface-speed than the feedrolls.

Gpposite the bite ot' the folding-rolls is arranged the folding-blade c, secured to a sliding frame, j', to which motion is imparted,

through pivoted leverf, from the cani n1,and by means ot' spring s. or its equivalent, such as a weight, tvc.

g indicates a second slide, arranged in the main frame A. which is also operated from the feed roller by pivoted lever y' and cam u, said frame or slide enacting with a cross-bar, It', or equivalent device, to seize the leading end of the sheet and arrest its motion, so as to cause the sheet to bag opposite thc foldingrolls. at a point beyond the bite of the folding-rolls, andthe slide or griper is pretcrably tipped with rubber, t'elt, or equivalent substance, to render its action more sure and perfect.

The elements above spccilied, or their equivalents, constitute the essentials ofmymaclnne; but an additional feature, which l will now describe, may in man) instancesl bc added i with good result.

It will frequently happen that, owing to the condition of the paper, it will not feed with the precision desired for neat and accurate folding. whenever it arises, I provide belts or bands l with a series of cross-bars, l. placed equidistant the length ofthe sheet to be folded, said bands being provided with teeth I, which gear with grooves formed in the rolls n u and in pulleys p1 p2, thus preventing the slipping` ot' the belts and insuring uniform travel thereof,

whereby the cross-bars otl each set will register one with the other, and a cross-bar of each set of belts will register just back of the cutter at each operation thereof, so as to seize the leading end ofthe sheet aml guide the same properly.

The best construction to give the desired strength and overcome tendency of the belts to stretch will be found to be that shown in detail, Fig. 5-that is to say, two belts riveted together and the cross-bar let into the belts at its ends. 'hen the devices last described are omitted, it will be advisable to arrange guides or guide-walls between the perforating and folding` rolls to prevent the dctlection of the sheet.

T indicates a table for the reception of the folded sheets, but in lieti thereof a series of rolls, tapes, and folding-blades ofthe ordinary construction or any approved form, adapted to give the desired number of additional folds, may be substituted.

So far as I am at present able to determine, to obtain the best results from the mechanism specified, the stop or griper should be set t somewhat beyond the axis or journal of the distantfolding-roll. The distance between the feed or cutting rolls and the bite of the folding-rolls should exceed the length of halt'thc sheet to be folded, more or less. The cani of the stop or griper should be abrupt, and set so as to operate the stop when sufficient of the sheet to be folded has passed the bite of the t folding-rolls; and the knifeshould have a gradual forward movement, commencing slightly This bar is arranged in thc line otl feed 1,

In order to obviate this ditliculty i later than the gripcr or stop, so as toearry the y paper into the bite of the tblding-rolls without force, and a quick return movement simull taneous with the return movement ot' the stop or griper, so as to present no obstruction to the subsequent movement of the sheet through the folding-rolls.

A machine such as described, or its equiva lent, will operate as follows: The web (or sheet) beingl fed to the cutters will be perforated at regular intervals thereby, and the leading end will advance until it passes the bite ot the l tolding-rolls, when the stop will operate, arrestingthc motion of the leading end of the sheet until the sheet bags or suiiicient slack is formed, at which time the knife will commence to operate, carrying the slack or loose portion of the sheetinto the bite of the folding-rolls, whose superior speed will separate ille sheet from the web, both stop and knife i withdrawing' at the same time, and so as not to obstruct either the continuous feed or the action of the folding-rolls. This operation is repeated from time to time at the instant the leading end of every sheet passes the stop. \\'hen the belts and crossbars are used, the crossbars will seize the leading end of each t sheet and carry it past the stop, the stop opi erating the instant the cross-bar passes the i same, and the operation of the other meehan l ism being the sante as before specied.

The advantages of my invention are the, great speed at which the folding-blade can be ing rapid folding.

I am aware that fixed stops have been employed for registering sheets to be folded, and also that sheet-controlling devices adapted.to intercept and temporarily arrest or check the motion of succeeding sheets has heretofore l been devised, and do not claim devices ar- ,ranged to so operate, because they simply register the sheet in one instance, and in the other slow up its motion to the registeringpoint, while in my case a positive bagging ot' the sheet opposite the folding devices is lequired and produced.

Having thus described the nature and advantages ot' my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

]. The method herein described of folding t paper, which consists in arresting the motion ot' the leading end of the sheet, so that the, sheet shall swell or bag opposite the bite ot' the folding-rolls, aml causing the folding-blade to act upon the paper during the time of feed and while the end is thus held, substantially as specified.

L. The combination, in a folding-machine, of feeding mechanism for feeding a perforated web, mechanism, substantially as described, adapted to gripe the leading end of a sheet and to cause the sheet to bag opposite the foldv ing devices, folding-rolls, and a device or de- L vices, substantially as specitied, to enter the l strain and non-liability to tear the web duroperated successfully, and the avoidance of sheet between the folding-rolls, Whereby'the end of the sheet is held by the griper, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, in a folding-machine, of devices for perforating a web or dividing the same into sheets, devices, substantially as described, adapted to arrest the travel of the leading end of a sheet and to cause the sheet to swell or bag opposite the folding-rolls7 and mechanism for entering the sheet between the folding rolls, the whole constructed and adapted to operate substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, in a folding-machine, of feeding mechanism for feeding the sheet, mechanism for controlling the leading end of thc lmanner specified.

In testimony whereof I, the said GEORGE LAUDER, have hereunto set my hand.

GEORGE LAUDER. Witnesses:

F. W. RITTER, Jr., J. K. SMTH. 

